Sleep maintenance insomnia
Posted , 5 users are following.
I've had this for over a month now, For the first 3 weeks every night without fail I would wake up anywhere between 12 and 3 and then not get back to sleep. It go to the point where i signed myself off work for a couple of days because I couldn't bring myself to do the 1hr drive into work and my head was so fuzzy I doubt I could concentrate enough to do anything productive.
My work wanted me to see my GP so I went along. They were very dismissive and even commented that they don’t have much sympathy because sometimes they can’t sleep properly and have to go into work the next day! Their advice was to carry on, get to work and it will sort itself out. I reported this to my work so they now expect me to be in work regardless as this is what the doctor said. The same night I woke at 11:45pm after 2hrs sleep and didn’t get back to sleep by had to force myself to go to work the next day because of the doctor’s advice.
It’s now been a couple weeks since I saw the gp and I'm still suffering, although I have had 2 nights where I slept, but the rest are the same with me getting 3-5 hours. I’m doing the 1 hour drive half asleep and my productivity and work is pretty low. I’m worried that I’m either going to crash or get pulled up at work as I’m quite often coming in late. I feel I can’t take anymore sick days regardless of how much sleep I get because of what the doctor said but I’m really struggling to get to work and do my job.
What should I do??
0 likes, 5 replies
alexballer18 jonny50914
Posted
Nessie91 jonny50914
Posted
this sounds like a classic case of anxiety and depression. Is your Line Manager any help?
i don't know where you live, but in Scotland, for example, you can refer yourself for counselling - you get one hour and can then join a cognitive therapy group. You can't function on a couple of hours sleep.
you could also try St John's Wort which is a herbal anti-depressant or something like Valerian to calm you down - and go to a different GP in your practice who might be more sympathetic.
jonny50914 Nessie91
Posted
I've been taking st johns wort for a couple weeks now and that helps with my mood. I think my low mood is more a function of the lack of sleep than the other way around. I have valarian root in the cupboard as well, I tried this during the night when I woke but it didn't work. If I get another week of limited sleep I'll try the other GP next week (only 2)
I'm in Scotland so I'll look into counselling / cognitive therapy group. The GP did suggest Sleepio, but I was a bit peeved about that as if I wanted to spend extra money on health care I would join bupa!
jonny50914 Nessie91
Posted
maura40424 jonny50914
Posted
I can identify with what you're going through! I suffer from insomnia myself and know what its like to try to face the day after a bad nights sleep!
Have you checked to see if any of the following foods could be causing the problem;
caffeine or too much sugar in your diet? Too much fruit? Other foods? Different people re-act differently to dif. foods. You could get a food allergy test done. I re-act to sugar and caffeine which are in lots of foods you might not think they,re in!
I think your anxiety about not sleeping is keeping you awake. You need to take valerian in the early evening and repeatedly for them to work. I found them good. I take valdrian tabs.
Hope this might help!